(28-04-23) MOGADISHU – In a rare and unprecedented incident, a woman in Somalia underwent emergency surgery to have a bullet removed from her clitoris after she was accidentally shot while relaxing at home. The case report detailing this unique injury was recently published in the International Journal of Surgery Case Reports.
According to the study authors, this is the first known instance of a bullet penetrating the vulvar area and becoming lodged in the clitoris. The 24-year-old patient, who remains unnamed, was at home when a stray bullet came through the ceiling and struck her in the genital area.
The distressed woman sought help at Erdoğan Hospital in Mogadishu, where a CT scan revealed the bullet’s location. The authors of the study noted the rarity and interest of the case, expressing relief that the low-velocity bullet did not cause more severe health complications.
Surgeons administered local anaesthesia and successfully removed the bullet from the woman’s clitoris. She did not experience any complications from the procedure and was discharged from the hospital the following day in good condition. At a follow-up appointment a month later, doctors confirmed that she remained in good health.
Cases of non-pregnancy-related vulvic trauma are extremely rare, typically resulting from sports-related straddle injuries, burns, animal or human bites, and sexual assault. Gunshot injuries to the genital area are more common in battlefield trauma or large urban areas with criminal implications.
The study authors explain that low-velocity bullet injuries, known as “tired bullet injuries,” are more frequently seen in residential areas of war-torn countries like Somalia. However, this case serves as a reminder of the unpredictable and dangerous nature of stray bullets and the need for increased efforts to ensure public safety in conflict zones.
